A POLICE crackdown on speeding caught almost 700 drivers breaking the limit in just one week.

Officers and safety camera vans from the Cleveland and Durham joint specialist operations unit (CDSOU) recorded a total of 667 speeding cars – which works out at almost 100 per day across Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington.

The campaign was launched on Monday, April 14, as part of a Europe-wide initiative aimed at reducing speed and improving road safety for all.

Chief Inspector Ed Turner, head of the CDSOU, said: “Too many motorists are continuing to drive in an unacceptable, unsafe manner and putting lives at risk.

“Excess speed is one of the biggest single causes of all road collisions not only in our area, but nationally. People in Cleveland and Durham can therefore expect to see more operations like this over the coming months.”

In total, officers on patrol caught 120 drivers, while safety camera vans detected the other 547.

Those caught will either have been given a fixed penalty fine or told to go on a speed awareness course, depending on how far over the speed limit they were. The most serious cases may face prosecution.